My PitchWars Mentee Bio BlogHop

Though I already have my bio page up, a lot of contestants at PitchWars are doing a special Mentee Bio Bloghop that is less formal and uses a lot of images and pop-cultural references. Here’s mine as a Top Ten List.

Top 10 Reasons to Mentor, Befriend, or Like G. Karl Kumfert

10. I’m Big and Fearless.

Not in the macho or tough-guy kind of way. I’m relaxed, have nothing to prove, and don’t scare easily. A few of my kids’ friends nicknamed me “Papa Bear,” which suits me fine.

Baloo the Bear, Fearless and laid back.

9. I’m Boring.

I’m happily married with kids, a house, two cars, and a rescue dog. I like my conflict and drama in my stories, not my life. Boring people are good people.

Arthur Weasley, Family Man. JK Rowling was going to kill him off until someone pointed out he was the only decent father in the series.

8. I’m Kind.

Too many people confuse being kind with being weak or timid. Nothing can be farther from the truth. It takes strength and bravery to do the right thing.

Prince Zuko has one of the most satisfying character arcs of any antagonist I can think of in modern storytelling.

7. I’m Professional.

I work hard and understand everyone else has a job to do too. I like working in teams and have coordinated multi-disciplinary, geographically disperse teams of my own in the past. I can work a bureaucracy.

Wouldn’t you want him to be your insurance agent?

6. I’m Funny.

I’m not the center-of-attention funny man. I’m more the, “charm my wife’s coworkers at dinner parties” kind of funny. I enter the New Yorker Caption Contest as often as I can. I’ve drawn comics about my family. My style of humor works best when I don’t try too hard.

Life is pretty funny on its own. Sometimes all you have to do is let everyone else in on the joke.

5. I’m Curious.

It can be science, religion, politics, human sexuality, music, history, or art. I love studying new things and engaging in stimulating conversation. Poor Gromit here can only study.

Yeah, I’m always learning something new.

4. I’m Musical.

I play bass in my church band, and am thrilled to play with my kids in a jazz trio soon. I also play guitar and dabble in other instruments. I played a lot of acoustic guitar in coffee shops and church retreats during my college years. I travelled around Europe one summer with a train ticket and a guitar. When I’m sad, I play alone in the dark with my Fender strat unplugged.

3. I’m Culturally Diverse.

I’m a white dad with bi-racial children. I’ve lived in racially and culturally mixed environments my whole life, and that’s where I’m most comfortable. My wife, father, and maternal grandfather are all immigrants to the US from around the world. I’m at home in social settings where the dominant language is not English.

I’ve been in John Prentice’s (Sidney Poitier) shoes. My future in-laws flipped out when they realized their daughter was dating an American boy. It took years to win them over. They are lovely people.

2. I’m a Little Rough Around the Edges.

I grew up in a very different neighborhood and mindset than I inhabit now. I consider myself very lucky to have come so far, but haven’t forgotten my roots.

This short-lived A&E reality show was set in a tough, diverse, urban public high school… my alma mater.

1. I’m a Kid at Heart.

It doesn’t come out all the time, but if you catch me hanging loose, you’ll know. Some things can’t be faked.